Backyard Bard

Okay, this day was pretty cool. Okay, the whole week was awesome. A few weeks ago we had a kid's show performed in our very own backyard.

First of all, we had the best week leading up to the play. Brett was directing a kid's Shakespeare play that he has done for quite a few years now. He writes plays using a theme of Shakespeare's (aka Shakespeare on Love as this one was named) and he weaves in different Shakespeare speeches within more contemporary settings. It's amazing how easily that stuff comes to him. It was a great show :) Brett cast Troy for one of the parts, so he and Bean (also known as Tita to my kids) were staying with us for the week--which was AWESOME! I absolutely LOVED every single solitary minute of having them with us. It was wonderful. Loved it.

At the end of the week, Brett got the bright idea of inviting all the kids in our hood over to see a 'dress rehearsal' of the show, the day before the play hit schools. Less than 24 hours later we had a great group of kids all ready to see the show. It was a huge success (other than being quite chilly!) and the actors felt much more prepared for their run. There was beer for the adults (hot coffee would have probably been better) and treats for the kids.

Sophie was pretty thrilled to have a play in her backyard, and Clara still talks about it most nights before bed.

Easter

We had a fabulous and jam-packed Easter weekend this year (yes, it's May, but hey-we can still remember it right??)

Shirley came down to visit us for the weekend. As usual, she kept the kids wildly amused with her stories, songs games, and got right down rolling around on the grass with them. They loved every minute of their time with her. She is one in a million and we love our time with her so much.

Friday night we had a neighbourhood bbq and TGIF at our friend's house. There were 6 or 7 families there. I absolutely adore our neighbourhood. Sometimes I feel like I need to pinch myself because it's just so wonderful. So many incredible families--parents and kids. So rare to have all the combos that work. The kids all get along so well. The mom's get along so well, and the dad's get along just as well. It's just so much fun each and every time we get together.

On Saturday morning we had our 2nd annual neighbourhood egg hunt. Each child comes with 12 plastic eggs stuffed with treats or Easter fun, and then the parents hide them around the park (to practice for the Easter bunny of course!). This year there were over 40 kids there. We also had tie-dying of t-shirts (a really kid friendly way to do it--with sharpies and rubbing alcohol WAY cleaner than the traditional way). Bodhi joined us, and after the hunt the kids sat and munched away. Clara doesn't like chocolate, but Sophie had a great deal going--Clara would open the chocolate eggs and then pass them directly to Sophie.

On Saturday afternoon Shirley and I went shopping, headed to my mom's for a visit, and then went on to meet Brett and the girls at my sister's house with the rest of my family for Easter dinner. Yum. Fun.

After church on Sunday we headed to G's house for an awesome Easter day in the woods. There was another egg hunt, and the kids had a great time running around her beautiful lot looking for eggs. Another yummy dinner and then back home.

Monday was spent recovering from our wild and wacky weekend of fun! And preparing to go back to work!!

Clarsie Girl

Our Clara girl is growing and changing so much these days. Every day it seems that she is doing something new. A few things...

1) She is talking in almost sentences. Before bed tonight she said "Tonight I go Bodhi's house". Okay, so we weren't going to Bodhi's house tonight, but hey, it was a 5 word sentence. And I had told her we ARE going tomorrow so that's not too bad! Her speech and her comprehension has blossomed lately. We are able to reason with her a little more (as much as you can reason with a two year old) and she seems to 'get things' much more often now.

2) She is not wanting to wear her diapers, pants, or any clothing most of the time. Particularly her diaper. Yet she fiercely resists sitting on the potty. We're trying to compromise on this new 'trend'. If I can distract her with something then I win, if not, she wins (and usually ends up peeing on our carpet!)

3) Clara loves to be outside. She just lives for the out of doors. If she had her choice she would be outside from sun up to sun down. Walking/running/riding her little push cars/going to the park she loves it all.

4) She also loves: Elm0, her Sn0w White p0lly p0cket, eating eggs (or generally anything Brett has made for himself to eat), dancing to anything (or no music at all), playing with playmobile, having baths, reading books, and making 'tunnels' under the covesr in Mommy and Daddy's bed

5) She is getting a new molar. :( Lots of fingers in the mouth, toys in the mouth again (on one side usually) and has been waking up at night a lot. But I have to say that cuddling her now in her room is quite lovely.

This girl is just awesome. Not only is she so much fun to be around, but she is such a caring, sweet, and loving person. I just look at her or think about her and it hurts. In a heart bursting kind of way. I feel so incredibly thankful for this precious 2 year old. I can't even remember our family without her.

Job Land

Brett and I both have permanent jobs!! That's a pretty exciting statement, considering that only two years ago we both walked away from our lives and employment to move back home. We had zero jobs then, and despite a really tough economic time have both managed to secure employment!

As many of you know I had been working half time teaching special education with the school board here on a maternity leave until the end of the school year. Next year I would have been back to supply teaching, still a job, but not a particularly favourable one.

Last month there was a permanent opening at the school where I am teaching special ed. I applied, thinking that I didn't have a chance, but ended up getting it. I am now teaching primary planning time .38 in addition to my half-time spec. ed. job. I was quite nervous about starting to teach in the mainstream world after 11 years, but it's been just fine. As well, my principal knows that I only really want to work half time, so she has allowed me to put my lunch and my prep. time at the end of the school day, thus I am finished each day at 1:00. (I finished at 12:00 previously!)

Mary-Kate (Brett's sis) is able to work the extra hour and is still doing our childcare in the morning, which is amazing for us.

Brett is working at a local theatre doing marketing. He has managed to wildly impress them in the short time of being there, and has now been hired on permanently. It has been an interesting challenge for him. He was also asked to direct again at the same theatre company this summer. So we will all be heading on the road for three weeks in July/August for another exciting summer adventure. It's great that his boss has allowed him to take time off during their busy season.

So, there you have it. Jobs. Who knew that two years ago when we both left our jobs for the black abyss that it would turn out so well.

Vacation Weekend!

Our family took a vacation. Okay, it was not glamourous or exotic in anyway, but it was a vacation. We went to W1nterlude for the weekend two weeks ago.

We stayed in a wonderful hotel for two nights, that had a kitchenette, swimming pool, a kids play room, and was a 2 minute walk to the canal. It was a suite, so we could put the kids to sleep and we could stay up to watch the Olympics!!

We went skating on the canal, watched Sierra swim her heart out at the regionals, and visited a park that had ice slides and Beaverta1ls. Nobody wanted to come home!!

It was a wonderful weekend. None of

Big Ol' Birthdays!

We had quite a few birthdays to celebrate in our family this month. My dad, my grandma, and the brothers--Brandon, Chris and Joe.

My grandma celebrated her 95th birthday, and we had a surprise party at the church for her. My cousin Kim drove from Toronto, and all the nearby family came as well. She seemed over the moon to be recognized, and had a huge smile on her face the entire day. It was a lovely day.

We had yet another surprise party, which was to celebrate Kathy and Chris' 40th. Kathy had arranged a family surprise party for Chris at Corey and Stuart's. Only Corey had the wild idea that we change it and add Kathy to the surprise party as well. So, they were BOTH surprised when they arrived to a wild 70s party with some hilarious and wild costumes (people went ALL out and were hardly recognisable). I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.

I feel so thankful to have so many wonderful people in our family to celebrate. So very thankful.

Kitchen Updates

When we bought this house, we knew there was plenty of updating to do. The same family lived in the house since it was built in the '50s. The kitchen was the first place to start.

Our dear friends the Kirklands have a husband who is not only extremely handy, but is extremely generous with his time and his talents. He spent a great deal of time helping us (or should I say we helped him) pull down the old wood, re-insulate, and then dry wall. He also found us this huge, beautiful (and free!) window from one of his colleagues. We are thrilled with the window and all that it adds to our kitchen. The difference is unbelievable.

We have learned quite a few things the hard way, and added several unanticipated steps, but we've added lots of new knowledge to our tool belts.

After looking at a 3/4 finished project for 2 months we finally decided to pay someone to finish the drywall and paint for us. With the kids this age and two working parents we just never seemed to be able to find the time to make it happen. Well worth the money. A colleague of mine at work has a husband with a painting business and he was just fabulous to work with.

The final step is to put ceramic tile over the very old and dirty linoleum flooring. (It's so old it can't even be cleaned anymore). We've chosen the tiling and so hopefully sometime soon that will be done and we will be finished reno project number 1!!